An Investigation of Natural Radioactivity around Gold Mining Sites in Birnin Gwari North Western Nigeria
Author Affiliations
- 1 Physics Section, Department of Applied Science, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, NIGERIA
Res. J. Physical Sci., Volume 1, Issue (7), Pages 20-23, August,4 (2013)
Abstract
Twelve soil samples from gold mining site of (colonial,jiniya,and katsinasg) tsofon- gwari around kaduna state were analyzed for potassium activity (K40), thorium activity ( Th-232), radium activity (Ra-226 ). The activity concentration was determined using NaI Tl detector. Most of these mining site were discovered to have a combined Ra226 and K40 activity concentration below standard Ra226 .77± .11 to 5.68 ± .03 Bq/kg with an average value of 2.39 and K40 19.75 ± 6.22 to 862.21 ± 13.99 Bq/kg with an average value of 390.95, which is below average. Most of these samples contained insignificant amounts of Ra-226. The activity of radium found in all of the samples was below international standard and Th232 33.30±2.28 to 84.83±14.82 Bq/kg with mean value of 51.98 which is above average.
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